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lays of ancient rome(古罗马方位)-第16章

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their petty local animosities in coarse Fescennine verse。 The lampoons of 

the city were doubtless of a higher order; and their sting was early felt by 

the nobility。 For in the Twelve Tables; long before the time of the Licinian 

laws; a severe punishment was denounced against the citizen who should 

compose or recite verses reflecting on another。 Satire is; indeed; the only 

sort   of   composition   in   which   the   Latin   poets;   whose   works   have   come 

down to us; were not mere imitators of foreign models; and it is therefore 

the only sort of composition in which they have never been rivalled。 It was 

not; like their tragedy; their comedy; their epic and lyric poetry; a hothouse 

plant which; in return for assiduous and skilful culture; gave only scanty 

and sickly fruits。 It was hardy and full of sap; and in all the various juices 

which   it   yielded   might   be   distinguished   the   flavor   of   the Ausonian   soil。 

‘‘Satire;'' said Quinctilian; with just pride; ‘‘is all our own。'' Satire sprang; 

in   truth;   naturally   from   the   constitution   of   the   Roman   government   and 

from  the   spirit   of   the   Roman   people;   and;   though   at   length   subjected   to 

metrical   rules   derived   from   Greece;   retained   to   the   last   an   essentially 

Roman character。 Lucilius was the earliest satirist whose works were held 

in esteem under the Caesars。 But many years before Lucilius was born; N 

鎣     ius    had    been    flung    into   a   dungeon;      and    guarded      there   with 

circumstances of unusual rigor; on account of the bitter lines in which he 

had    attacked    the   great   Caecilian    family。    The   genius    and    spirit  of  the 

Roman       satirists   survived     the  liberty    of  their   country;    and    were    not 

extinguished by the cruel despotism of the Julian and Flavian Emperors。 

The great poet who told the story of Domitian's turbot was the legitimate 

successor of those forgotten minstrels whose songs animated the factions 

of the infant Republic。 

     Those   minstrels;   as   Niebuhr   has   remarked;   appear   to   have   generally 



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taken the popular side。 We can hardly be mistaken in supposing that; at the 

great crisis of the civil conflict; they employed themselves in versifying all 

the most powerful and virulent speeches of the Tribunes; and in heaping 

abuse     on  the   leaders   of  the  aristocracy。    Every   personal    defect;   every 

domestic scandal; every tradition dishonorable to a noble house; would be 

sought out; brought into notice; and exaggerated。 The illustrious head of 

the   aristocratical   party;   Marcus   Furius   Camillus;      might   perhaps   be;   in 

some measure; protected by his venerable age and by the memory of his 

great services to the state。 But Appius Claudius Crassus enjoyed no such 

immunity。 He was descended from a long line of ancestors distinguished 

by their haughty demeanor; and by the inflexibility with which they had 

withstood      all  the  demands     of  the   Plebeian    order。  While    the   political 

conduct and the deportment of the Claudian nobles drew  upon them  the 

fiercest public hatred; they were accused of wanting; if any credit is due to 

the   early   history   of   Rome;    a  class   of  qualities   which;    in  a  military 

commonwealth; is sufficient to cover a multitude of offences。 The chiefs 

of the family appear to have been eloquent; versed in civil business; and 

learned     after   the  fashion    of   their   age;   but   in  war    they   were    not 

distinguished by skill or valor。 Some of them; as if conscious where their 

weakness   lay;   had;   when   filling   the   highest   magistracies;   taken   internal 

administration as their department of public business; and left the military 

command   to   their   colleagues。   One   of   them   had   been   entrusted   with   an 

army; and had failed ignominiously。 None of them had been honored with 

a triumph。 None of them had achieved any martial exploit; such as those 

by    which    Lucius    Quinctius    Cincinnatus;     Titus   Quinctius     Capitolinus; 

Aulus Cornelius Cossus; and; above all; the great Camillus; had extorted 

the reluctant esteem of the multitude。 During the Licinian conflict; Appius 

Claudius Crassus signalized himself by the ability and severity with which 

he harangued against the two great agitators。 He would naturally; therefore; 

be the favorite mark of the Plebeian satirists; nor would they have been at 

a loss to find a point on which he was open to attack。 

     His grandfather; called; like himself; Appius Claudius; had left a name 

as   much   detested   as   that   Sextus Tarquinius。 This   elder Appius   had   been 

Consul   more   than   seventy   years   before   the   introduction   of   the   Licinian 



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laws。   By   availing   himself   of   a   singular   crisis   in   public   feeling;   he   had 

obtained the consent of the Commons to the abolition of the Tribuneship; 

and had been the chief of that Council of Ten to which the whole direction 

of the state had been committed。 In a new months his administration had 

become   universally   odious。   It   had   been   swept   away   by   an   irresistible 

outbreak of popular fury; and its memory was still held in abhorrence by 

the   whole   city。   The   immediate   cause   of   the   downfall   of   this   execrable 

government was said to have been an attempt made by Appius Claudius 

upon the chastity of a beautiful young girl of humble birth。 The story ran 

that the Decemvir; unable to succeed by bribes and solicitations; resorted 

to an outrageous act of tyranny。 A vile dependent of the Claudian house 

laid   claim  to   the  damsel   as   his   slave。 The  cause  was   brought   before   the 

tribunal   of   Appius。   The   wicked   magistrate;   in   defiance   of   the   clearest 

proofs;     gave   judgment      for  the   claimant。    But    the  girl's  father;   a  brave 

soldier; saved her from servitude and dishonor by stabbing her to the heart 

in the sight of the whole Forum。 That blow was the signal for a general 

explosion。   Camp   and   city   rose   at   once;   the   Ten   were   pulled   down;   the 

Tribuneship   was   re 雜 tablished;   and   Appius   escaped   the   hands   of   the 

executioner only by a voluntary death。 

     It   can   hardly   be   doubted   that   a   story   so   admirably   adapted   to   the 

purposes both of the poet and of the demagogue would be eagerly seized 

upon by minstrels burning with hatred against the Patrician order; against 

the Claudian house; and especially against the grandson and namesake of 

the infamous Decemvir。 

     In order that the reader may judge fairly of these fragments of the lay 

of Virginia; he must imagine himself a Plebeian who has just voted for the 

re 雔 ection of   Sextius   and   Licinius。 All   the   power  of   the   Patricians   has 

been   exerted   to   throw   out   the   two   great   champions   of   the   Commons。 

Every   Posthumius;       苖 ilius;   and   Cornelius   has   used   his   influence   to   the 

utmost。   Debtors   have   been   let   out   of   the   workhouses   on   condition   of 

voting against the men of the people; clients have been posted to hiss and 

interrupt the favorite candidates; Appius Claudius Crassus has spoken with 

more than his usual eloquence and asperity: all has been in vain; Licinius 

and Sextius have a fifth time carried all the tribes: work is suspended; the 



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booths are closed; the Plebeians bear on their shoulders the two champions 

of liberty through the Forum。 Just at this moment it is announced that a 

great poet; a zealous adherent of the Tribunes; has made a new song which 

will cut the   Claudian nobles to   the heart。 The   crowd gathers round   him; 

and    calls  on  him    to  recite  it。  He  takes  his  stand   on  the   spot  where; 

according to tradition; Virginia; more than seventy years ago; was seized 

by the pandar of Appius; and he begins his story。 



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                                        Virginia 



        Fragments of a Lay Sung in the Forum on the Day Whereon Lucius 

Sextius Sextinus Lateranus and Caius Licinius Calvus Stolo Were Elected 

Tribunes      of   the   Commons        the   Fifth   Time;    in  the   Year    of   the  City 

CCCLXXXII 

             Ye good men of
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